The present invention relates to a semiconductor device and relates to a technique which can be applied to a semiconductor device including an inductor, for example.
An inductor is used in a power meter which detects power amount flowing in a power line. When current amount flowing in the power line is changed, magnetic field intensity generated from the power line changes. Voltage is generated across the inductor according to this change of the magnetic field intensity. The power meter detects the power amount flowing in the power line by monitoring this voltage.
Note that Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-326526) describes the use of an inductor as an antenna which performs read-out and write-in for a data carrier of an electromagnetic induction type. Patent Document 1 describes the upper side and the lower side of the inductor to be covered by electric shield patterns for suppressing leakage of an electric field component from the inductor.
Further, Patent Document 2 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2009-194302) describes the upper side and the lower side of an inductor of a passive component to be covered by shields in a semiconductor device for wireless communication. This shield is provided for blocking a magnetic field and formed by a wiring pattern.
Further, Patent Document 3 (WO2004/055839) describes the upper side and the lower side of an inductor to be covered by shields. This shield is patterned for suppressing mirror current flow.
Note that Patent Documents 4 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 1990-72660) and 5 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-311655) describe an inductor to be surrounded by a shield in the periphery thereof.